Guy Verhofstadt has been quoted 101 times. The one recent article where Guy Verhofstadt has been quoted is EU demands right to child benefits even after Brexit. Most recently, Guy Verhofstadt was quoted as having said, “We have decided to make a resolution in October/November indicating whether sufficient progress has been made. It will be very important when, at the end of October and the beginning of November, we assess whether we can go into phase two.”.

Guy Verhofstadt quotes

We will never give consent if the issues of citizens' rights, on both sides, has not been dealt with in a satisfactory way. What we could do is to envisage and to offer as part of the future agreement, a possibility for UK citizens who have lost their citizenship … certain advantages, privileges, treatment.feedback

A solution has to be found for the seats made vacant in the European Parliament after Brexit. The size of the Parliament should be reduced to below 700, but Brexit provides a window of opportunity to establish of a limited number of transnational seats.feedback

Is it not the time to ask yourself in your soul how you will be remembered in the future? Do you want to be remembered as somebody that liberated your country from Communism – and that you did – or do you want to be commemorated as an eternal enemy of our open European democratic society. That's the choice you have to make now.feedback

The theory espoused by some, that Theresa May is calling a general election on Brexit in order to secure a better deal with the EU, is nonsensical. We can only conclude that many British politicians and the media still don't fathom how article 50 will work in practice. Will the election of more Tory MPs give Theresa May a greater chance of securing a better Brexit deal? For those sitting around the table in Brussels, this is an irrelevance.feedback

Many in Brussels remain concerned that the chances of a deal are being eroded by the British prime minister's tough negotiating red lines and her lack of political room for manoeuvre domestically, yet there is no guarantee that a sprinkling of additional Conservative MPs on the backbenches of the House of Commons will provide this. As with the Brexit referendum, which many European leaders saw as a Tory cat-fight that got out of control, I have little doubt many on the continent see this election as once again motivated by the internal machinations of the Tory party.feedback

The BBC video of Brenda from Bristol, so openly decrying another political campaign, was viewed far beyond the white cliffs of Dover. Indeed, it appears this election is being driven by the political opportunism of the party in government, rather than by the people they represent. I expect this will be approved by EU leaders as soon as June, if not before. Contrary to the obscure claims by UK government officials, the EU's 'crown jewels' of the European Banking Authority and the European Medicines Agency will not remain in a post-Brexit Britain, paid for by EU countries.feedback

All commitments have to be taken on board, all liabilities have to be on the table, also the contingent liabilities. Well, it will be easy at the end, because if you agree on the principles, than you apply the principles and you have the figure. So that's the reason why you don't find the figure in the resolution, but a clear principle on how to deal with the financial settlement.feedback

I tried to be a gentleman towards a lady, so I didn't even use or think about the use of the word blackmail. I think the security of our citizens is far too important to start a trade-off of one and the other. Both are absolutely necessary in the future partnership without bargaining this one against the other.feedback

The withdrawal agreement will be an act of union law. An act of union law is naturally controlled by the European court of justice. It is as simple as that. The withdrawal agreement will be nothing outside the treaties. So automatically the court of justice is competent.feedback

On the 60th anniversary of the treaty of Rome, and faced with an explosion of Eurosceptic nationalism, the EU stands at a crossroads. Radical reform is needed. Tomorrow, EU leaders past and present will gather in Rome to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the treaty of Rome, which established the European Economic Community, the forerunner to the European Union.feedback

I think it's an absolute necessity that we go in that direction otherwise this continent will not survive. So I think it's a good opportunity to remember not only the treaty of Rome but mainly the initial ideas of the founding fathers of the European Union : a political union, an economic union, a defence union, and that's exactly what we need for the coming decades I think.feedback

When they say for example that we are not capable of managing the refugee crisis, I agree. When they are saying that we have no good results in tackling the financial crisis, I agree. When they all say that the European Union is too bureaucratic, I agree but the response, the solution for that is not to go back in history and fall back into the old style nation states that have created so much trouble and so much tragedy in the 20th century.feedback

Well it wouldn't work. It will be, in any case, a core group taking the lead. More or less 20 countries, maybe more 25 countries, going forward and then a number of other countries who will come in later on. That I see as a possibility. What I see is the opposite for the moment. After the Brexit referendum, in most of the countries we see that people want more Europe. Yes, look for example what is happening in Syria. What did we do in Syria? Nothing at all. But we have the fallout, all the negative consequences of the conflict in Syria. So I think it's time now to organise ourselves.feedback

It's absolutely key that the EP is involved from day one in these negotiations. Because we, at the end, within two years from now, we have to give the consent on this final agreement and it will be a very difficult moment because it's two months before the European elections that we need to give our consent and we will only give our consent if the agreement is in line with our opinion and our redlines we have indicated.feedback

All British citizens today have also EU citizenship. That means a number of things: the possibility to participate in the European elections, the freedom of travel without problem inside the union... We are scrutinising, thinking, debating how we could achieve that.feedback

All British citizens today have also EU citizenship. That means a number of things: the possibility to participate in the European elections, the freedom of travel without problem inside the union. We need to have an arrangement in which this arrangement can continue for those citizens who on an individual basis are requesting it.feedback

The Brexit discussion is a good opportunity not only to discuss and negotiate a new agreement, a new partnership with Britain, but also to fix that now it is time to have a real government in Europe. It is clear the transition needs to be limited in time. I have seen temporary things become eternal. What is far more important is a clear triggering of 50, a clear proposal by the British government and how they see the partnership in the future. We have to see if they ask for a free trade agreement. It could be something different.feedback

Maybe I am a little bit naïve in these questions after more than 40 years of politics, that can happen. And it's not maybe my first mistake that I have made in my life, in my political life. When I see that number of these people are not going to pro-European groups for the moment, at this moment that we are speaking and debating, maybe it was not so a bad thing, it will weaken euroscepticism, weaken populism and weaken nationalism.feedback

There are not enough guarantees to push forward a common agenda to reform Europe. There is insufficient common ground to proceed with the request of the Five Star Movement to join the ALDE Group. There remain fundamental differences on key European issues.feedback

Some things cannot wait until treaty change. Therefore, the ability to keep European citizenship for those who risk losing it will be on the table of the upcoming Brexit negotiations and will be discussed at the moment of the parliament's resolution, right after the triggering of article 50 in March.feedback

What makes it so hard for me, and I think the other group leaders and for everybody here in this house, is the way it succeeded (the Brexit). Absolute negative campaign. The posters of Mr Farage showing refugees like in Nazi propaganda because he copied it at that moment.feedback

I am an optimist, I think that they are going to say yes, because they are not so stupid, to give up, first of all, the European Union which is economically important for them, and the City of London for example lives from the payments in euros, more than from the payments in pounds sterling.feedback

And secondly I think foremost geopolitically, I think British citizens know very well, understand very well, that Britain without the European Union is in fact a dwarf on the world level. And the same is true for the European Union, the European Union without Britain is certainly not a strong continent that can compete with China, with Russia, with the US and other powers.feedback

So I think it can be a win win situation. Let's give this special status to Britain and at the same time let's make an agreement in the future with the Treaty change, the Treaty revision, we go forward on the integration of the Union.feedback

So it is time to solve it and to give a special status to Britain as they are asking for, and so that the other members of the EU can go forward in their integration because we need more integration, desperately, to solve the refugee crisis, to solve the security crisis, to strengthen our position on the geopolitical level, the problems with the euro.feedback

No it is a specific solution for the request of Britain and my proposal and the proposal of the European Parliament is to give a special status to Britain, because that we have had that discussion for three decades.feedback

I am angry because you are talking about reforms, but we never see concrete proposals of reforms…let's propose to end of privileges in your country, the privileges of the shipowners, the privilege of the military, the privilege of the orthodox Church in your country.feedback

If we want to solve problems like climate change, like unemployment, like bad financial products coming from the other side of the ocean, we need European cooperation, we need a European Union [that is] stronger, that can defend its model against China, against India, against the US.feedback

What we have to do is learn from Jacques Delors, Jacques Delors launched the internal market and that created growth for ten years in Europe! We can do exactly the same, we need to do exactly the same!feedback

Without the banking union there cannot be an end to the economic crisis of today, because there is no trust between the banks for the moment in Europe, and the transfer of money between the banks and the real economy is blocked for the moment. So the banking union is the first thing to do.feedback

We have only taken the decision within the European Parliament, that we have to suspend the SWIFT agreement, until we know exactly what is happening: what data is used by the American intelligence services, and if they are doing that within the framework of our agreements, or without the framework of the agreements.feedback

I'm calling for an Article 7 procedure to be opened. Article 7 of the EU treaty say that when we do not measures up to democratic values and principles, and fundamental rights, then member states can start debating, give recommendations and then even sanction the offending country.feedback

What cannot happen is that this plenary session in Strasbourg is ending without a decision of this Parliament on the case of Hungary and without any action of the Commission and any action of the Council.feedback

I think it is very important that the political leaders in Europe and head of state, and heads of government, are condemning such initiatives. Because they are destroying really the spirit of the European Union.feedback

Mr Junker, Mr van Rompuy, Mr Rehn, Mr Barroso, the president of the European Central Bank… We have at least five people who are representing Europe! We need one! And that can only be a senior Commissioner that you have to appoint. Make him 'European Minister of Finance' and all this discussion on who is representing the euro is over!feedback

[It], rightly, wants the European authority to have the last word in this matter of financial markets. The entire financial crisis showed that national authorities do not work well, and that we need an authority at European level.feedback

What my conclusion is that it is absolutely necessary now to have a negotiation between the European Authorities and the US to find an agreement or maybe a treaty in which we define together what could be the necessary guarantees if we transfer personal data in our fight against terrorism.feedback

Quotes by Guy Verhofstadt

We have decided to make a resolution in October/November indicating whether sufficient progress has been made. It will be very important when, at the end of October and the beginning of November, we assess whether we can go into phase two.feedback

At first glance, there is at least one element that makes a difference – namely the commitment to simplify existing administrative procedures. However, a number of limitations remain worrisome and will have to be carefully assessed.feedback

I am glad that we are sticking to the negotiating timetable, which is already quite tight. Let's now, first of all, make progress in the field of citizens' rights and create legal certainty for both our people and our companies.feedback

I agree. But like Alice in Wonderland, not all the doors are the same. It will be a brand new door, with a new Europe, a Europe without rebates, without complexity, with real powers and with unity.feedback

We wait for the moment the position of the UK. It is unclear, in any case for me, if the UK government will stick to the line that they announced in the letter of 29 March or whether they will change it taking into account the outcome of the election.feedback

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